Four current and former participants on the hit NBC reality show “The Apprentice” discussed the leadership lessons they have learned both in their business careers and on the program at an AMA Current Issues Forum on December 3 at AMA’s San Francisco Executive Conference Center.

Carolyn Kepcher, one of Donald Trump’s advisors on “The Apprentice,” EVP of The Trump Organization and COO of the Trump National Golf Clubs, fielded questions along with Pamela Day and Elizabeth Jarosz, firees from this season, and Nick Warnock, a semi-finalist from the first season of the show.

Nearly 70 attendees from California businesses and colleges also participated in an ”Apprentice” style competition in which teams developed solutions to a commonly faced workplace business issue. The on-camera “Apprentice” personalities served as mentors and judges to the teams. The panel and workshop were facilitated by AMA faculty member Jim Vidakovich.

When asked what makes a successful leader, Carolyn responded that she used to say “being stubborn” but has now corrected the statement to “being persistent!” Over ten years ago she was working in sales for a golf course that Donald Trump had bought and she waited while two general managers were hired and dismissed before Mr. Trump decided to give her the job. Her “persistence” turned a half-million dollar loss into a $2-million profit in one year!

Pamela, founder and president of her own investment company Crimson Holdings, believes that there are very different communication styles between men and women and you need to figure out how your style is being perceived by your team and adapt your style where necessary.

Nick, a successful salesman, for Xerox, feels that his whole life is about selling —on the show, in business, and socially. His favorite acronym is “WAR”—know how to “Work A Room” because you should always be selling yourself.

Elizabeth, who owns her own market research and branding firm, Pulse40, initiated the conversations about the previous night’s episode in which the women used their looks to sell high-priced candy bars. In her opinion there is definitely a line where “women using sex to sell” becomes offensive. Trouble is, nobody can find that line!

Another episode that the panel discussed was the one involving a bridal shop. The lessons to be learned here were seeking “expert help” and being adaptable. Decisions on the show and in the business world need to be made fast and subject matter experts help teams make the best choice rather than deliberating too long or over-thinking an issue, as Carolyn has accused many of the candidates of doing.

Among the many words of advice offered by the panel during the course of the program were:

• There are “driving and restraining forces” at work in all environments. You need to be aware of them so you can work more effectively in the environment.
• That which we dwell on we become.
• Building relationships and exuding confidence are very important traits to develop. They can be the key to your success.
• The difference between assertiveness and aggressiveness is sensitivity.
• Listening and matching your style to accommodate the person you are speaking to can make a huge difference in the outcome of the exchange.
• If you want to drive home the point about how effective people are in meetings, try videotaping the meeting and debriefing right after. Look at words and body language used by the speaker and the body language of the listeners. You will be surprised at what you see and what you can deduce about the effectiveness of that exchange.
• Professional managers should not lead by consensus. It could lead to the wrong decision.
• Hire people to complement, not duplicate, your skills.
• Alignment is key. Processes used inside the organization must support alignment.
• Remember the K.I.S.S. principle whenever you are planning. Keep it simple. Avoid paralysis by analysis.

Following the panel discussion and question session, attendees broke into teams and participated in an “Apprentice” style competition. The two finalists each received AMA prizes and the winning team members also were presented with an autographed copy of Carolyn Kepcher’s best-selling book, Carolyn 101: Business Lessons from The Apprentice’s Straight Shooter.

Read about the AMA-Apprentice Forums in New York and Chicago.